Airport parking at Birmingham airport to pick someone up - confusing information

[bellinisurge]

I’m planning to pick up my DD from Birmingham Airport. The airport website says two conflicting things. It says that if I just turn up Car Park 5 - the one it recommends- the cost is £9.50 for one hour and £19.00 for two hours. If I pre book it’s nearly £70!
Are there any good reasons to prebook?
I normally try and prebook my parking but that is an insane amount. I’m happy to pay the turn up fee. DD will be exhausted. It’s a late night flight arrival time.
Does anyone have any useful “Parking to pick up at Birmingham airport” intel / experience?
Thanks

Tell your DD to get the monorail to Birmingham international from the airport - it takes 2 minutes.....you can wait at the exit if you happy to sit on a yellow line, or use the car park, not sure of hourly rate.

last time I picked someone up there was a 20 minute free pick up zone- just past the entrance to the station

It does say you can’t pre book the drop off car park.

However I agree. Tell her to catch the monorail to the station and meet you there.
There is a short stay car park there that is free.

Don’t tell people about the railway station pick up, everyone will do it.
the pick up zone is before the station entrance, she needs to exit the station and turn right and the pick up zone is just there .

Thank you everyone. We don’t live in Birmingham. The plane arrives near midnight. She’s been away for nearly 3 months. I want to scoop her and her BF up, help them with their luggage and drive her home

Just park in carpark 1, the multistorey. Much easier than traipsing from 5, and no need to prebook as those only go in day increments

I dropped DD and her friend off there a few weeks ago, at 5am we went into a car park and it was free for 15 minutes, enough for them to wake up again, get their luggage and walk towards the terminal.

Park in carpark 5. There is a free shuttle bus from the door of arrivals every 10 mins.

Edited to add: Do Not wait in the ‘free for 20 min short stay car park unless you know they have arrived and collected their baggage.
We waited an hour and a half the other week for the luggage carousel to start, hence I recommend car park 5!

Thank you